The Nuts and Bolts: October 9, 2013

Habitat ReStores on the Rise

A Habitat for Humanity’s ReStore opened up this week in Albany, NY, offering residents of the area the ability to purchase affordable quality building materials, appliances, furniture, tools and other products for home improvement at a low cost. Every purchase made goes towards Habitat for Humanity’s vision of building homes for those in need.

Location, Location, Location

Planning a remodel soon? Whether it’s the time of year, supply and demand of building materials, or scale of project, there are a lot of factors to consider that will impact how much you’ll ultimately spend. But what about location? Why are two identical remodels priced differently throughout the country?

The Wall Street Journal recently discussed this issue using information from a survey conducted by Houzz, a home remodeling and design website, to show how home improvement projects can vary in price by region. "You can have the same house, same remodel, but two different areas in the U.S. can have very different costs," says Adi Tatarko, co-founder and CEO at Houzz. The survey looked at the west, midwest, and northeast of the United States for comparisons.

They provided examples of northeasterners spending the most on complete home and kitchen remodels, the west being the most expensive region to build a custom home, and the midwest being the most expensive place to build a swimming pool.

The Home Depot Presents 2013 Innovation Awards

The Home Depot gave out their 2013 Innovation Awards this week. The awards focus on the most innovative, ground-breaking products that will help home owners improve their homes while saving time and money in the process.

One such company is Cree, Inc. who introduced a series of LED bulbs at a price that allows more consumers to make the switch from standard bulbs.

“The new bulbs look and shine as brightly as comparable incandescent while saving 84 percent of the energy and lasting 25 times longer compared to traditional bulbs. The barrier-breaking Cree LED bulb has earned ENERGY STAR® qualification and is now even more affordable with utility rebates. The Cree LED bulbs are backed by a 10-year limited warranty.”

In addition to the top three award winners, The Home Depot recognized the companies that round out the top 10 product innovations:

Mohawk for new Soft Spring Carpet innovation creates twice the softness as standard carpet. Maintains the best warranty in the industry with Lifetime Stain and 25 year wear warranties.

Plantation Patterns Patio Create Your Own Collection is an industry changing program that offers customizable patio furniture to customers at a fraction of the price and wait time.

Behr Deck Over is an innovative solid color coating that brings old weathered wood or concrete back to life.

Rustoleum NeverWet is a revolutionary super hydrophobic system that protects virtually any surface keeping it clean & dry.

Ryobi Li-Ion 18v Hybrid String Trimmer is the first trimmer to feature hybrid technology. The trimmer can be powered by the 18V One+ battery pack for ultimate mobility, or plugged into an outlet for never ending power, ensuring that yard maintenance is always finished in one job.

Delta's Smartfit Tank to Bowl Connection Toilet and integrated supply line eliminates any chance for leaks in the bottom of the tank while making the installation easier.

Drummen Drop N Bloom Annuals provide customers combinations of premium genetics that actually grow more beautiful with age. Individual components finish well together. Just remove the plant from the container and drop into a favorite pot.